Black In The House
by Creighton Cross
Summary: Harry decides to find out if Sirius is at home when Voldemort tries to lure Harry to the Department of Mysteries. He finds out differently. AU!
1. Chapter 1

"Please let's just check that Sirius isn't at home before we go charging off to London — if we find out he's not there then I swear I won't try and stop you, I'll come, I'll d-do whatever it takes to try and save him —"

"Sirius is being tortured NOW!" shouted Harry. "We haven't got time to waste —"

"But if this is a trick of V-Voldemort's — Harry, we've got to check, we've got to —"

"How?" Harry demanded. "How're we going to check?"

"We'll have to use Umbridge's fire and see if we can contact him," said Hermione, who looked positively terrified at the thought. "We'll draw Umbridge away again, but we'll need lookouts, and that's where we can use Ginny and Luna."

Though clearly struggling to understand what was going on, Ginny said immediately, "Yeah, we'll do it," and Luna said, "When you say 'Sirius,' are you talking about Stubby Boardman?"

Nobody answered her.

"Okay," Harry said aggressively to Hermione, "Okay, if you can think of a way of doing this quickly, I'm with you, otherwise I'm go ing to the Department of Mysteries right now —"

"The Department of Mysteries?" said Luna, looking mildly sur prised. "But how are you going to get there?"

Again, Harry ignored her.

"Right," said Hermione, twisting her hands together and pacing up and down between the desks. "Right … well … One of us has to go and find Umbridge and — and send her off in the wrong direction, keep her away from her office. They could tell her — I don't know — that Peeves is up to something awful as usual. …"

"I'll do it," said Ron at once. "I'll tell her Peeves is smashing up the Transfiguration department or something, it's miles away from her of fice. Come to think of it, I could probably persuade Peeves to do it if I met him on the way. …"

Ginny stepped forward. "Don't bother with the Floo Network," she said. "What about that elf in the kitchens? They can Apparate anywhere, even to well warded areas. Get him to take you to Grimmauld Place and you can find out much quicker."

Harry was delighted with Ginny's suggestion.

"You're a genius, Ginny," he said ecstatically. "I love you."

At this Ginny blushed as dark as the colour on her hair.

"Dobby," Harry called out.

At once Dobby the house-elf popped in front of Harry.

"What can Dobby do for Harry Potter, sir," the house-elf squeaked.

"Are you able to get into houses that have the Fidelius Charm?" asked Harry.

"Tell Dobby the address and Dobby will be able to get you in," Dobby told him.

Harry leaned into Dobby's ear and whispered _12 Grimmauld Place, London._

Dobby nodded and held Harry's hand.

"I'll be back shortly," he said, before Apparating to London.

Harry and Dobby Apparated into his bedroom in 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry opened the door and called for Sirius.

"In here," called Sirius to Harry's right.

Harry ran in. Sirius was astounded to see Harry, as was Buckbeak who was in the room too.

Harry bowed to Buckbeak and regaled to Sirius what he had seen and how he got into the house

"That means Voldemort is at the Ministry waiting for you Harry," Sirius said, his face gaunt.

He ran out of the room and contacted Dumbledore through his mirror. He came back a minute later and handed Harry the mirror. Harry saw Dumbledore through the mirror.

"Harry, you must get back to Hogwarts," he told him. "Use Dobby. Entice him to your house if possible. He wants to be your own house-elf. Don't give Umbridge the chance to expel you. I will be back tonight."

And he disappeared.

"Dobby," Harry called out.

CRACK. Dobby appeared in front of Harry.

"Take me back to Hogwarts, please," Harry said. Dobby grabbed his hand and they both apparated back to Hogwarts.

Harry landed in the kitchens of Hogwarts.

"Everywhere else has people, Harry Potter," Dobby said. "Dobby had to take you here."

"That's fine, Dobby," Harry smiled. "You probably saved my life and my godfather's too."

Harry remembered what Dumbledore said about Dobby.

"Dobby," Harry said. "I was talking to Dumbledore. He said you wanted to be my house-elf."

"Indeed, sir," the house-elf said. "Dobby wishes to serve the House of Potter."

Harry grabbed Dobby's hand. "I accept and bound Dobby to the House of Potter, so mote it be."

At once a white halo went around both of them. When it disappeared Dobby shrieked with delight. "I am Harry Potter's house-elf!" he shrieked happily. "Give me an order."

Harry thought cheekily of a specific order. "At dinner tonight dose Umbridge's drink with a potion that makes her croak like a toad when she tries to speak."

"Dobby will do his task."

Harry left the kitchens and found his friends.

"Well?" Hermione questioned.

"You were right, Hermione," Harry told her. "Sirius is safe in his home. Voldemort was trying to lure me into the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore's headed there now to find him."

Harry smiled evilly. "Watch Umbridge at dinner tonight. She'll cheer everyone up now that the exams are over."


	2. The Truth Comes Out

**Thanks to all who viewed and favorited this story so far. **Sorry it took this long to update. This is the last chapter. I have other focuses.****

_Last Time..._

_Harry thought cheekily of a specific order. "At dinner tonight dose Umbridge's drink with a potion that makes her croak like a toad when she tries to speak."_

_"Dobby will do his task."_

**Chapter 2 - The Truth Comes Out**

For the rest of the day Harry was in a chirpy mood. The thought of Dobby bonded to him gave him several ideas on what to do.

The house-elves weren't being watched by the Ministry. He should have given his letters to Dobby. He trusted the lively elf with his life. Dobby was the first one from the Wizarding World -aside from Hedwig- who had seen Harry's living conditions and didn't say a word about it.

Dumbledore's words were weighing in on his mind as well. How could he come back to Hogwarts when the entire Ministry were searching for him?

As the day crept closer to dinner Harry was beginning to get worried. Wondering if Dobby would fulfil his task was creeping in to his mind. Would the house-elf succeed?

He walked in to the Great Hall for dinner with Ron and Hermione. The scent of chicken and legs of lamb had Ron running as fast as he could to his favourite seat.

Harry and Hermione gave each other knowing glances as they sat down between Ron. The red-haired boy was already halfway through his third sausage. His plate was full to the brim with legs of lamb, sausages, chicken, shepherd's pie, turkey and a large ham.

Umbridge, who had been up at the Head Table, sitting in Dumbledore's seat, scowled. She had finished her own chicken and had downed her pumpkin juice in one gulp, not feeling a slightly different taste in her drink. The sight of one Ronald Weasley devouring his food like an uncivilised monkey was what made her scowl. As much as she disliked the boy's table manners, she was delighted at an excuse to go up to them and insult that _'horrible liar' _and bring house-points away from the red-haired weasel for his table manners

She got up from her seat and made her way to the Gryffindor Table where Potter and his friends were seated.

"Hem, hem," she tried to say. Instead, to her and the surrounding students who heard her, a harsh and short croak came from her mouth instead.

Seemingly uncaring at the sound she created she carried on "Twenty point's from Gryffindor for your eating Mr Weasley," she tried to say, but a volley of croaks came from her mouth instead.

The Great Hall burst into laughter at the sight of the squat woman, who looked absolutely furious at being laughed at.

Whatever she tried to scream at the students, whether it was detention or loss of house-points just came more croaks, magnified when she tried to raise her voice. McGonagall and Snape sat there doing nothing, preferring to watch the toadyish woman embarrass herself, hiding concealed smirks. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, Sinistra, and Trelawney couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed whole-heartedly at the scene before them along with the students.

"I think I know who did this," said a voice from the Great Hall entrance.

Everyone turned their heads and saw Albus Dumbledore standing there with Minister Cornelius Fudge, who was trying his hardest to avoid being seen.

"The _Daily Prophet _will publish the news of what happened tomorrow," he addressed to the hall of questioning starers. He turned to the minister. "Now why don't you try telling them what happpened."

Minister Fudge mumbled incoherently.

"Speak louder Cornelius," Dumbledore said, casting a Sonorus Charm at the man.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned," blubbered Fudge. "I saw him myself an hour ago."

At this the hall went wild. Umbridge was seething with incandescent fury, still croaking like a toad.

"The _Daily Prophet _will explain in the morning," he told the startled crowd and tried to leave.

"No, Cornelius," said Dumbledore. "You're going to explain to the hall."

So the minister was forced to sit down and he regaled the tale to the startled and scared students. Dumbledore had apparently gone to the ministry on a 'tip off' that Voldemort was there retrieving some sort of prophecy. Death Eaters were also at the scene and placed under arrest, including Lucius Malfoy. Dumbledore and Voldemort had a duel that resulted with the Ministry Atrium being destroyed. By the time the wizards and witches had arrived for work at the Ministry, Voldemort had been sighted by more than half the Ministry. When Voldemort had realised that he had been seen by the Ministry he had grabbed Bellatrix Lestrange and disappeared.

"Cornelius, what about next week?" Dumbledore said, giving the cowered wizard a calculating look.

"The trial for Sirius Black will be held next Wednesday at nine am," he said, looking in Harry's direction, whose stomach was doing somersaults. "Harry Potter, you are required to be there."

And with that, the shamed wizard swept from the hall, dragging Umbridge with him, who was handed a Suspension from Dumbledore. She was to leave the grounds immediately.

Once Umbridge was taken from the hall cheers went all around, even at the staff table. Several students raised their goblets and roared 'TO DUMBLEDORE'

Taking a drink from his own goblet, he give Harry a small wink. He raised his goblet to everyone and said four words

"Well that was fun!"


End file.
